How To Get Your Family To Eat More Fruit

Does anybody know how many servings of fruit you should be eating a day? Does anybody know what constitutes a serving? I say WHO CARES? To worry about such things is totally missing the point which is: Fruit is delicious and you should eat a bunch of it. The only remaining question is how to get more of it. Here are some simple tips for getting your family to eat more fruit.

1. BUY IT! If you know you should eat more fruit and you want to eat more you have to buy some. If not then I guess you have to steal some. But I'm going to recommend buying fruit because otherwise you have to start eating prison fruit which is not as tasty.

2. GET IT RIPE! One of my pet peeves is a grocery store that sell peaches that are hard as rocks and green bananas. Then they have to age (read: rot) on your counter. Buy ripe fruit instead at a fruit stand or from a local farmer. The quality is better and it won't survive for a month in your fruit bowl. You are forced to, yes, eat it before it goes bad.

3. SERVE IT! Don't wait for the family to come to the fruit. Bring the fruit to the family. Our family always has a big plate of chopped apples, bananas, sliced oranges or some other fruit on the table at dinner time. It is always a hit and there are never left overs. Instead of popcorn or crackers while you watch TV try fruit slices or fresh berries. Sweet and satisfying!

4. DESSERT ANYONE? Fruits are naturally sweet and they are full of nutrients. Brownies? Not so much. While both are delicious fruit is the better option for a daily dessert. (Save brownies for a special occasion). Fresh fruit, fruit salad, frozen fruit, fruit kabobs, fruit sorbet (fruit creole, fruit gumbo, fried fruit… Wait I slipped into Forrest Gump mode). I think you get the idea.

Besides tasting great fruit has plenty of fiber and special nutrients called phytochemicals. These help prevent cancer, the effects of aging and other conditions. Fruits are also loaded with vitamins and minerals your body needs like potassium and Vitamin C. You might think of fruit as a delicious multivitamin.